Friday, November 10, 2017

They are down to the semi-finals in doubles at the 2017 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships at the Lifetime Fitness Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In Girls U18 Doubles, the USA team of Megan Carver and Hollie Scott defeated Maria Jose Muñoz and Ana Lucia Sarmiento of Ecuador, 15-11, 15-7. The win levels the head to head record between the teams, as there were three teams in the division, which was a double round robin. In their first match, Ecuador won in a tie-breaker, so the USA's win in two straight games should give them the silver medal. Mexicans Denisse Maldonado and Montserrat Mejia have already wrapped up the gold with three wins. There will be one last match between Mexico and the USA on Saturday.

Mexicans Gerardo Franco and Eduardo Portillo won their Boys U18 Doubles quarterfinal match in decisive fashion by beating Lukas Le and Mauro Rojas of the USA, 15-0, 15-9. In the semi-finals, Mexico will play Ecuadorans Juan Francisco Cueva and Jorge Ochoa Moreira, who were straight game winners over Geovani Mendoza and Jose Salvatierra of Guatemala, 15-3, 15-8.

The other semi will be between Canadians Simon Comeau and Trevor Webb - winners over Colombians Felipe Cardona and Set Cubillos, 15-2, 15-11 - and Costa Ricans Sergio Acuña and Andres Montero, who had a narrow two game win over Rodrigo Mendoza and Bryan Zambrana of Bolivia, 15-12, 15-12.

The IRF World Juniors semi-finals go Friday in the boys divisions, while the girls continue their doubles round robin competitions Friday as well. Check out the IRF Facebook page for live streaming of the event.